PANELS, WORKSHOPS & OTHER
I have extensive expertise appearing in and moderating panels, running workshops (bolstered by a postgraduate teaching qualification!), hosting Q&As, judging prizes and offering industry advice. I take particular pride in my ability to sustain audience attention through a canny blend of humour and authority, alongside careful contextualisation and responsiveness. I’m just as comfortable with small-room one-on-ones as with speaking in front of a hundred-seat hall.

Organisations I’ve worked with include the Melbourne Writers Festival, the Jaipur Literature Festival, The Wheeler Centre, Midsumma, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, Multicultural Arts Victoria, Writers SA, and various libraries and councils. 
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jump to:  Panels & In-Conversations  |  Workshops & Seminars​  |  Judging & Consultation  |  ​Interviews & Press

Image: Private Parts: More than Queer, The Wheeler Centre, 2019 
PANELS & IN-CONVERSATIONS​​
  • Telling Queer Asian Stories, OzAsia Festival (Adelaide, November 2023)
  • Body Language of Dance, Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (Ubud, Indonesia, October 2023)
  • Exploring Queerness in Poetry, Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (Ubud, Indonesia, October 2023)
  • Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell post-film Q&A, Melbourne International Film Festival (Melbourne, August 2023)
  • The Body Country book launch – host and Q&A, Hachette & Readings (Carlton, August 2023)
  • The Relationship Is the Project: Working with Communities Conversation Series #1 ▶︎, City of Yarra (Abbotsford, July 2023)
  • Establishing a Sustainable Practice, Emerging Writers’ Festival (online, June 2023)
  • Beyond the Book, The Wheeler Centre (Melbourne, December 2022)
  • Ask About… Anthologies, Writers Victoria (online, October 2022)
  • ‘Against Disappearance (with Leah Jing McIntosh & Adolfo Aranjuez)’ ▶︎, Race Matters, FBi Radio (podcast, September 2022)
  • Losing Their Religion, Melbourne Writers Festival (Melbourne, September 2022)
  • Academia and Criticism, Melbourne International Film Festival (Melbourne, August 2022)
  • Liminal Spaces, Emerging Writers’ Festival (Springvale, June 2022)
  • Growing Up Queer, Midsumma & Hobsons Bay Libraries (online, February 2022)
  • What We Become ▶︎, Melbourne Writers Festival (podcast, January 2022)​​​​​
see panels & in-conversations: 2021
see panels & in-conversations: 2020
see panels & in-conversations: 2019
  • Digital Futures ▶︎, The Other Film Festival & The Wheeler Centre (Melbourne, October 2019)
  • Dating in the Digital Age, Melbourne Writers Festival (Melbourne, September 2019)​​
  • Growing Up Queer in Australia, Melbourne Writers Festival (Melbourne, September 2019)
  • Queer Fear, Melbourne Writers Festival (Melbourne, September 2019)​​​
  • ​Love Letters to ‘New Phone, Who Dis?’, Melbourne Writers Festival (Melbourne, September 2019)​
  • ​Queering Language, Bus Projects (Collingwood, August 2019)​
  • Film Criticism: Spaces to Write, Melbourne International Film Festival (Melbourne, August 2019)
  • On the Crew: Art, Australian Film Television & Radio School (Melbourne, July 2019)​​
  • The Writer’s Hustle, City of Adelaide & Writers SA (Adelaide, July 2019) ​
  • Open and Shut: Constructive Feedback, Emerging Writers’ Festival (Melbourne, June 2019)​
  • Industry Insights, ATOM Youth Media Festival (Melbourne, June 2019)​
  • The Library Is Open: Queer Literary Perspectives, Victorian Public Sector Pride Network (Melbourne, May 2019) ​​
  • Private Parts: More than Queer ▶︎, The Wheeler Centre & Archer (Melbourne, April 2019)
  • Can Love (and Sex) Change the World?, Melbourne Queer Film Festival (Melbourne, March 2019)​
  • Adolfo Aranjuez in Conversation with Tony Birch, Readings & Meanjin (St Kilda, March 2019)
  • Writers in Conversation, Hobsons Bay Libraries & Midsumma (Newport, January 2019)
  • Consent 101, Consent Festival, Midsumma (Collingwood, January 2019)
see panels & in-conversations: 2018
  • ​Future Melbourne ▶︎ & Melbourne, 2030, The Wheeler Centre & UNESCO Melbourne City of Literature (Melbourne, November 2018)
  • Gender and the Fluidity of Being, Jaipur Literature Festival & OzAsia Festival (Adelaide, November 2018)
  • Dystopias and Dyschronias, Jaipur Literature Festival & OzAsia Festival (Adelaide, November 2018)
  • In Bloom, VICE & Minus18 (Collingwood, October 2018)
  • The Next Creative Revolution: QTPOC and Indigenous Cultural Spaces, AGMC & Midsumma (St Kilda, September 2018)
  • Dystopia on Screen ▶︎, Australian Centre for the Moving Image (Melbourne, September 2018)
  • ​​The Responsibility of the Critic, Melbourne International Film Festival (Melbourne, August 2018)​
  • Q&A with jiaqing wilson-yang, Brow Books (Melbourne, August 2018)
  • Diverse Perspectives on Philanthropy, The Channel (Melbourne, March 2018)
  • Queer Some Space: Art and Literature, The Lifted Brow & MPavilion (Melbourne, January 2018)
  • Everyone Has a Story, Hobsons Bay Libraries & Midsumma (Newport, January 2018)​​​
see panels & in-conversations: 2017
  • Balimbing: Filipino Queerness artist talk, Multicultural Arts Victoria (South Melbourne, December 2017)
  • Classic Dystopias ▶︎, Yarra Libraries (Fitzroy, November 2017)
  • Straight White Men’s News, Centre for Advancing Journalism & The Wheeler Centre (Melbourne, November 2017)
  • Identities, Politics and Intersectionality, Melbourne Free University (Melbourne, October 2017)
  • How I Got My Start in the Arts, National Young Writers’ Festival (Newcastle, October 2017)
  • Changing Languages, National Young Writers’ Festival (Newcastle, October 2017)
  • Word Nerd Grammar Gabbers, National Young Writers’ Festival (Newcastle, September 2017)
  • Intergenerational Warfare, Melbourne Writers Festival (Melbourne, September 2017)
  • Protest & Persist: Identity Politics, Melbourne Writers Festival (Melbourne, August 2017)
  • Protest & Persist: Changing Minds, Melbourne Writers Festival (Melbourne, August 2017)
  • How I Came to Australia, Melbourne Writers Festival (Melbourne, August 2017)
  • Dystopia on Film ▶︎, Melbourne International Film Festival (Melbourne, August 2017)
  • OtherLife post-film Q&A, Melbourne International Film Festival (Melbourne, August 2017)
  • Diversity in Criticism, Melbourne International Film Festival (Melbourne, August 2017)
  • ‘Ronny Chieng: International Student, Briohny Doyle’s Adult Fantasy and the Seasons’ ▶︎, The Rereaders (podcast, July 2017)
  • LGBTQIA+ in Australia, The Channel & The Wheeler Centre (Melbourne, February 2017)
see panels & in-conversations: 2016 & 2015
  • ​Censorship and Political Correctness, National Young Writers’ Festival (Newcastle, October 2016)
  • Future of … Education, National Young Writers’ Festival (Newcastle, September 2016)
  • Media Justice, Melbourne Writers Festival (Melbourne, September 2016)
  • Modern Cultural Identity, National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters’ Council (Melbourne, November 2015)
  • Hero Babes, Girls On Film Festival (Melbourne, October 2015) 
  • Other Englishes, National Young Writers’ Festival (Newcastle, October 2015)
  • The Masses and the Media: Ensuring Equal Representation, RMIT (Melbourne, October 2015)
  • Voicing Race, Melbourne Writers Festival (Melbourne, August 2015)
  • Winning Writing: Literary Awards, Melbourne Writers Festival (Eltham, August 2015)
  • Emerging Writers, Melbourne Writers Festival (Melbourne, August 2015)
  • Caravan Conversations, Melbourne Writers Festival & Dumbo Feather (Melbourne, August 2015)​
see panels & in-conversations: 2014 & earlier
  • ​Invisible Illness, National Young Writers’ Festival (Newcastle, October 2014)
  • Speaking in Tongues ▶︎, National Young Writers’ Festival (Newcastle, October 2014)
  • $$$$$ ▶︎, National Young Writers’ Festival (Newcastle, October 2013)
  • Writing Awards and Grants, Emerging Writers’ Festival (Melbourne, May 2013)
  • A Writer’s Life, City of Stonnington, [untitled] Festival & Melbourne High School (South Yarra, November, 2012)
  • ‘Kill Your Darlings?: Editors Talk’, Kill Your Darlings (podcast, August 2012)
  • Ask the Publisher: Short Fiction, Writers Victoria (Melbourne, July 2012)
  • Under-18 Readers’ Group, Express Media (Melbourne, May 2009)
  • Getting Published, Swinburne University (Hawthorn, April & October 2009, April 2010)
  • Welcome to University, Swinburne University (Hawthorn, February 2008)
Image: Dystopia on Film, MIFF 2017 (photo by Damian Sullivan; watch MIFF footage here ▶︎)
WORKSHOPS & SEMINARS
  • Mentor – ASA Mentorship Program, Australian Society of Authors (2022–present)
  • Live Editing Workshop, Melbourne International Film Festival (Melbourne, August 2023; online, August 2021; Melbourne, August 2019)
  • ‘Bums on Seats’: Film Festival Marketing, RMIT (Melbourne, March 2023)
  • Mentor – Watch This Space x NT Writers’ Centre Emerging Writers Residency (online, February–March 2023)
  • ​Movement Workshop: My Body Is Ready, RMIT x IDAHOBIT (Melbourne, May 2022)
  • (The) Nuts and Bolts (of) Editing, Editing Micro-Festival (online, November 2021)​
  • Being a Freelance Writer, ATOM Youth Media Festival (online, July 2021)
  • Story in Motion, Midsumma & Immigration Museum (online, April 2021)
  • Editing Intensive: Language Foundations, Djed Press Editorial Mentorship Program (online, April 2021)
  • Culture Makers Lab, Immigration Museum (online, March 2021)​​​
  • ​‘How to Review a Film’ ▶︎, Tell Me Something I Don’t Know, Melbourne Fringe Festival (online, November 2020)
  • ​Mentor – Critics Campus, Melbourne International Film Festival (online, August 2020; Melbourne, August 2018)​
  • Future of Literature: Roundtable, Footscray Community Arts Centre (online, May 2020)
  • Managing a Publication, NEWS Conference & Express Media (Melbourne, January 2020, January 2019, January 2018)​​​​​
  • ​​Asian Art Futures: Closed Forum, Multicultural Arts Victoria (Melbourne, November 2019)
  • Poetry Workshop, Iridescent QPOC Festival (Fitzroy, November 2019)​​​​​​​
  • Making It, La Trobe University (Melbourne, August 2019)​
  • Scene It: Hands-on Film Criticism, Emerging Writers’ Festival (Melbourne, June 2019)​​
  • ​​Making Mentorships Work, Midsumma (Melbourne, April 2019)
  • Mental Health in the Arts Industries, Arts Access Victoria (South Melbourne, October 2018)​​
see older Workshops & Seminars
  • Participant – Midsumma Futures development program, Midsumma (Melbourne, June 2017 – June 2018)
  • Signal x Liminal: Visual Storytelling, Emerging Writers’ Festival (Melbourne, June 2018)
  • ​Artist Training: Speaking to an Audience, Emerging Writers’ Festival (Melbourne, June 2018)
  • Tall Buildings: Their Problems and Some Ideas, Melbourne Design Week (Melbourne, March 2018)​
  • ​The Nuts and Bolts of Editing, NEWS Conference & Express Media, (Melbourne, January 2018)​
  • How to Write a Story, Study Melbourne & Melbourne Writers Festival (Melbourne, September 2017)
  • Creating Your Own Context, Next Wave (Melbourne, April 2016)
  • ‘Editing and Proofreading’, The Signal Express (Melbourne, November 2015)
  • Getting into the Editing Profession, Express Media (Melbourne, June 2014)
  • ‘Being an Editor’, The Under Age (Melbourne, September 2013)
  • Write for Life, St Michael’s Grammar School (St Kilda, June 2013)
  • Writing Nonfiction, Express Media & St Michael’s Grammar School (Melbourne, June 2013)
  • Paper Fire, 100 Story Building, Express Media & SYN Radio (Footscray & Melbourne, April–June 2013)
  • The 12-Week Production Cycle, Express Media & Australian University Student Media Conference (Canberra, April 2013)
  • Younger Young Writers’ Program, National Young Writers’ Festival (Newcastle, September 2012)
  • Hate Yourself: The Art of Self-Editing, National Young Writers’ Festival (Newcastle, September 2012)
  • Getting Published, Wyndham City Council (Werribee, August 2012)
  • Feed Forward, Express Media & Signal (Melbourne, May 2010)
JUDGING & CONSULTATION
  • Selection panellist – ​​The Next Chapter, The Wheeler Centre & The Aesop Foundation (2019–present)
  • Judge – Top Screen, VCE Season of Excellence, Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (2019–present)
  • Convenor (Poetry) – Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards (2022)
  • Judge – Lord Mayor’s Creative Writing Awards, City of Melbourne (2022)
  • Industry advisor – Creative Victoria (2022)​
  • Assessor – Tasmanian Writers and Illustrators Mentorship, Australian Society of Authors (2022)
  • Industry advisor – School of Media and Communication, RMIT (2020–2022)
  • Industry advisor – Australia Council for the Arts (2021)​​
  • Selection panellist – Liminal & Pantera Press Nonfiction Prize (2021)
  • Judge – Midsumma Pride March Awards (2019, 2021)
  • Strategic advisor – UNESCO Melbourne City of Literature (2019–2020)
  • Judge – Darebin Mayor’s Writing Awards, Darebin City Council (2017–2018, 2020)​
  • Assessor – Young Creatives Lab, Signal & City of Melbourne (2020)​
see older Judging & Consultation
  • ​​Judge – Midsumma Carnival Lip-Sync Limelight (2019)
  • Judge – The Meanjin Tournament of Books, Meanjin (2013)
  • Judge – The Scribe Nonfiction Prize for Young Writers, Scribe & Express Media (2013)
  • Judge – Yarra Storytelling Competition, City of Yarra (2012)
  • Judge – The John Marsden Prize for Young Australian Writers, Express Media (2009) 
  • Judge – Write Across Victoria Competition, Melbourne Writers Festival (2008)
INTERVIEWS & PRESS​​
see older Interviews & Press
​I live and work on the unceded traditional lands of the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung peoples, and pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging.

Last updated September 2023   //   This website is optimised for desktop (not mobile) viewing.